17 Years Today - Another Cover - Aaron Yates RRX

That's right readers.

17 years ago today I arrived at SFO in the USA with 5 suitcases (one half of one was used to bring me home from hospital after I was born), a collection of "Q" magazines, my favourite teddy bear and a few items that meant a lot to me as I grew up back in the UK before meeting Emily, getting married and moving here. All I can say is, I have never stopped realising what a blast my life is. I have as a mate, the coolest woman in the world, the coolest job in the world, and ultimately the coolest life in the world and someone to share it all with. It's not been without some hard work mind you, but so far it's only getting better.

Oh, and I thought I should let folks know that they need to rush out and buy the current edition of Road Racer X featuring Jordan Suzuki rider Aaron Yates on the cover taken by yours truly, Andrew Wheeler. I'll update my thoughts on Road Atlanta in a separate post, however, for now I'd also like to congratulate Erion Honda rider, and good friend Josh Hayes on his second Formula Extreme Championship win that he locked in at Road Atlanta. Fortunately I was in the the right place at the right time to capture this little gem.

Impressed, humbled and why wasn't there track days when I was 16?

Odd.

Here I am, just turned 45 (and no, my age doesn't bother me) and I have one of the coolest jobs on the planet, and meet some of the most down to earth, real people in the world. Every weekend I go to a race track to document the skills and antics of these ever-so talented men and women (yeah I know there are more men THAN women in the AMA but it will change) and every time I get on the plane to come home I feel energized and infused and rejuvenated. Take the last round of the AMA Superbike Series at Road America, nr Lake Elkhart in Wisconsin.

As we all know, the weather can play a factor in the events here. The track is one of the longest in the US and for me, feels like an American version of Spa Francorchamps (it's about the same length). The track has long straights, sweeping corners and corners that tighten up. It also has the ability to have two or three different "weathers" going on across it's entire length.

It's a challenge.

However, this weekend I was reminded of how lucky I am, and how any people that I capture affect my own day to day life. Take Aaron Yates. Gritty racer, skillful, explosive personality with charm and eloquence. Watching Aaron work his race craft thrills me. His bike management skills are impressive, and his willingness to push the envelope remind me of how I'd be a mad arse on the road back in the UK. In fact how stupid that was might be a better reflection. But watching his riding style in the rain, on the start finish straight at Road America reminded me of how one would ride a horse. Off the pegs, perched forward over the withers...and for me, stupid as I was on the top of the control tower in a lightning storm, I was pleased I was able to capture it...

One other rider who embodies how I felt when I was his age is Danny Eslick. Talented, entertaining, charming and an all round good kid, I watch him ride and see how I rode a bike when I was his age. Danny is a talented young man, charming, and very determined. I hope that in grand scale of things he does well. He has talent. I always look forward to meeting up with Danny, as does my wife.
I love what I do. I hate being away from my wife. So when the weekend goes well, the racing is good and the riders look like they're enjoying themselves. It all works.

Andrew

It's not always about the bikes..

Okay, so I'm a little inside my monthly update, but I wanted to mention whilst I'm deciding on how to cook salmon before I head off to Road America tomorrow, and wanted to share this missive with those peeps lucky enough to spend some time on my site and reading this verbiage. Please indulge me.

I love my wife. Deeply. Emily is truly the most wonderful person in my universe and sometimes I wonder what I did to be in the same time continuum as someone so switched on, so smart and so alive. Well, I guess that's something for the stars.

One thing I have observed being around these bike racer types, and chats with Rachel (Hacking) and Aaron Yates wife Heather, we all have one thing in common. We believe in the end goal. It's a team thing, like a marriage should be. No one person "owns" another, nothing "belongs' to one person, it's about the unit, and working together, love and trust.

And before I descend into the deep philosophical depths I just want to say, that having Emily be alongside me whilst working, (she even took some photos AND they were sharp, and in context) was equivalent to having training wheels taken off of your Raleigh, or learning to walk, falling in love (oh wait I do that each day - to this day my tummy flips when I meet her for lunch or see her face at the airport when i come home - and we've been married over 17 years).

I love you, I'll be home on Monday and I promise I'll send you some wallpapers buddy.

Thank you for being in my life Emily. I love you.



I should add, that a soupcon of motorcycle racing photography from the AMA Superbike races at Infineon are now online, I hope you like them..

Andrew :)